While reading chapters throughout the section, “Going Through Customs” in Colonize This! one chapter in particular stood out to me. Almas Sayeed’s “Chappals and Gym Shorts” was an extremely interesting story about a Muslim Indian woman who is caught in between two worlds. She is a current student at the University of Kansas interested in Women’s Studies and in the midst of discovering her sexuality, but is distracted by her conservative Muslim-Indian culture. Her relationship with her father is the most interesting conflict she discusses because while she wants to live her life and explore her options, he is planning her future starting with an arranged marriage by the time she turns 22. The fact that it was her father that was pressing her to get married and start a life was so interesting to me because that is nothing like my father. While my mother is not exactly searching for a husband for me either, she is much more likely than my father to have an interest in my relationships.
Although the cultures are extremely different, my dad is the one that always tell my brother and me that having a boyfriend or girlfriend is a distraction and if there are any problems that arise, it is better to let them go. While it can come off as very cynical, he does not see the necessity for a significant other at this point in our lives because we have so much more to accomplish on our own. I have always kept this in mind and valued his opinion because I cannot imagine getting married by the time I am 22, like Almas’ father wants for her.
The general theme of all of the chapters throughout this section of the book relate to an internal conflict and the disconnect between the feminist world they are trying to become a larger part of and their cultural identities. Whether the source of conflict comes from their race, ethnicity, or religion, all of the women writing chapters for this book share the common theme of their struggle in finding their self-identity.
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